Electric cooking apparatus

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments of an electrical cooking apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electrical cooking apparatus includes a substantially continuous cooking surface, a plurality of electrical heating elements disposed under the substantially continuous cooking surface, and at least two temperature controllers configured to allow independent control of temperatures of at least two of the plurality of heating elements.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/724,247, filed Oct. 5, 2005 for an ELECTRICCOOKING APPARATUS, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an electric cooking apparatus, andmore particularly to an electric cooking apparatus with independentlycontrollable temperature zones.

BACKGROUND

Various cooking devices that utilize electric heating elements areknown. However, such cooking apparatuses generally utilize heatingelements configured to heat a cooking surface to a generally uniformtemperature. For example, many electrical stovetops include a pluralityof individual heating elements separated by unheated spaces. Thetemperature of each element is generally not controllably variableacross a surface area of the element, but rather is configured to beuniform across the element.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of an electrical cooking apparatus are described. Inone embodiment, an electrical cooking apparatus includes a substantiallycontinuous cooking surface, a plurality of electrical heating elementsdisposed under the substantially continuous cooking surface, and atleast two temperature controllers configured to allow independentcontrol of temperatures of at least two of the plurality of heatingelements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the accompanying figures, in which the like referencesindicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cookingapparatus according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the heatingelement assembly shown in dashed lines.

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of an underside of a cooking surface and aportion of a heating element assembly of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows a partially exploded front perspective view of theembodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, witha plurality of spillover tray drawers shown in an opened position.

FIG. 7 shows a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, witha spillover tray drawer shown in an open position and a spillover trayshown elevated from the spillover tray drawer.

FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 9A-9D show an embodiment of a display for use with the embodimentof FIG. 1, with a plurality of different temperature readings shown onthe display.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DEPICTED EMBODIMENTS

The present disclosure relates to electric cooking apparatuses for bothindoor and outdoor use. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first exemplary embodimentof a cooking apparatus 10. Cooking apparatus 10 includes a control panel12 having a three tier fascia with a crown top 14, a front face 16, anda lower trim 18. Two knobs 20, 22 are mounted to the control panel forcontrolling the cooking surface temperature—one for controlling thetemperature of a first temperature zone, and another for controlling thetemperature of a second temperature zone, as described in more detailbelow. The independently controllable temperature zones may allowdifferent regions of the cooking surface to be controllably maintainedat different temperatures.

Cooking apparatus 10 further includes a substantially continuous cookingsurface 24 disposed over one or more heating elements, as described inmore detail below. The term “substantially continuous” as used hereinindicates that substantially the entire cooking surface is useable forthe cooking of foods, as opposed to an electric stove top having heatingelements spaced apart by non-cooking surfaces. While the depictedembodiment has a generally flat, circular cooking surface, it will beappreciated that the cooking surface may have any suitable shape,profile, surface texture, etc. Examples of suitable shapes include butare not limited to oval, rectangular, other curvilinear and/or polygonalshapes, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, while the depictedembodiment includes two control knobs 20, 22 for controlling twotemperature zones, it will be appreciated that a cooking apparatusaccording to the present disclosure may have any suitable number ofcontrol knobs and associated temperature zones, including but notlimited to three or more. Further, some embodiments may include only asingle control knob for controlling one or more heating elements.

Cooking surface 24 may be formed from any suitable material. Suitablematerials include, but are not limited to, ceramic coated stainlesssteel or mild steel, or uncoated stainless steel or mild steel that maybe oil-seasoned or otherwise treated. Likewise, cooking surface 24 mayhave any suitable size. Suitable sizes include, but are not limited to,diameters between 20-35 inches. In one specific exemplary embodiment thecooking surface has a diameter of 25 inches, and in another specificexemplary embodiment the cooking surface has a diameter of 30 inches. Inalternative embodiments, cooking surface 24 may have a diameter outsideof this range. Cooking surface 24 may have a flat configuration, or maybe convex (crowned) edge-to-edge. Where the cooking surface is crowned,the crown may have any suitable elevation measured from edge to center.Examples include, but are not limited to, elevation of 0.125-0.25inches. Alternatively, the crown may have an elevation outside of thisrange.

An integral downward flange 26 may be provided around the edge ofcooking surface 24 to capture radiant heat generated by the heatingelements. Flange 26 also may be configured to direct excess cookingjuices to a center portion of a drip pan 28 located below the rim of thecooking surface, thereby preventing such juices from missing drip pan28. Alternatively, flange 26 may be omitted.

Cooking apparatus 10 further may include a base 29 configured tofacilitate the mounting of the apparatus to one of the above supportstructures. In the depicted embodiment, base 29 is shown having agenerally square or rectangular shape, except for a curved front panelportion that forms one side of the square or rectangle. However, it willbe appreciated that the base may have any other suitable shape.

In some embodiments, drip pan 28 may be configured to overhang base 29.This may help to cover the area where cooking apparatus 10 is mounted toa supporting surface, and therefore may give cooking apparatus 10 apleasing appearance and also may help to keep the mounting area cleanfrom cooking residues.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary inner and outer heating elementconfiguration. An inner heating element assembly is shown by innerheating element segments 30 a, 30 b and 30 c, and an outer heatingelement assembly is shown by outer heating element segments 32 a, 32 band 32 c. These heating element assemblies may be collectively referredto herein as inner heating element assembly 30 and outer heating elementassembly 32, respectively. Each individual heating element segment pair(for example, pair 30 a and 32 a) is separated from adjacent heatingelement segment pairs by three cooking surface supports 34 that extendradially from a center of a cooking surface. While FIG. 3 depicts thecooking surface as having three cooking supports 34, it will beappreciated that a cooking apparatus according to the present disclosuremay have either more or fewer supports, depending upon the materialproperties and desired rigidity of cooking surface 24.

Inner heating element segments 30 a-c are connected in series to forminner heating element assembly 30, and outer heating element segments 32a-c may likewise be connected in series to form outer heating elementassembly 32. For example, each inner heating element segment (forexample, 30 b) includes a first terminal 35 and a second terminal 36.First terminal 35 of one inner heating element segment may beelectrically to second terminal 36 of an adjacent inner heating elementsegment to electrically connect the two segments. Likewise, outer innerheating element segment (for example, 32 c) includes a first terminal 37and a second terminal 38 connectable in a like fashion. In this manner,inner heating element segments 30 a-c can be connected together inseries such that the inner heating element segments 30 a-c act as asingle heating element, and likewise for outer heating elements 32 a-c.This arrangement may allow inner heating element assembly 30 to becontrolled independently of outer heating element assembly 32, andtherefore may allow generally concentric temperature zones on cookingsurface 24 to be maintained at controllably different temperatures. Twoterminals of inner heating element assembly 30 and two terminals ofouter heating element assembly 32 may be connected to one or more powersupplies to provide power for the heating element assemblies 30 and 32.

While the depicted heating elements are disclosed as heating generallyconcentric inner and outer heating zones, it will be appreciated thatthe heating elements may be configured to create separate heating zonesof any other suitable shape, and/or any other suitable number of heatingzones besides the depicted two. Furthermore, it will be understood thatmany of the concepts disclosed herein may be also be applicable tocooking systems with a single heating element.

Any suitable type of electric heating elements may be used as heatingelement assemblies 30 and 32. For example, the electric heating elementsmay be tubular or strip heating elements. In one exemplary embodiment,the heating elements are etched foil mica heating elements. Likewise,the heating elements may have any suitable power rating and thermaloutput. In one exemplary embodiment, the inner heating element(s) mayhave a maximum power of 1700 Watts, and the outer element(s) may have amaximum power of 6900 Watts. In another exemplary embodiment, the innerheating element(s) may have a maximum power of 3500 Watts, and the outerelement(s) may have a maximum power of 4500 Watts. It will beappreciated that these values are merely set forth for the purpose ofexample, and that the inner and outer heating elements may have anyother suitable maximum power outputs. These exemplary configurations ofheating elements may be used to generate highly controllable cookingsurface temperatures in the range of 150-800 degrees Fahrenheit. It willbe appreciated that other wattages may be applied or used to vary thecooking surface temperature. The typical voltages used to power theheating elements include voltages of 240-208/120 VAC/60 HZ, using 3-wireconduit. International voltage conversions may also be applied.

Heating elements 30 a-c and 32 a-c may be contained in modular orotherwise separated assemblies coupled to or attached to the undersideof the cooking surface. FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of an exemplarymodule 40. Module 40 may include an inner heating element segment 30 a,an outer heating element segment 32 a, a ceramic fiber blanket 42 forinsulation, and a containment shield 44 holding the module to thecooking surface and containing the module components. Each module 40 maybe electrically bridged by connecting wires (not shown) to adjacentmodules, thereby completing the circuits for inner heating elementassembly 30 and outer heating element assembly 32. In alternateembodiments, heating element assemblies 30 and 32 may be spaced from theunderside of cooking surface 24, and/or may be insulated in any othersuitable manner.

Base 29, as well as any other suitable portion of cooking apparatus 10,may be designed with a dual wall construction for zero clearanceinstallation to any suitable structure, including but not limited toindoor kitchen counters, outdoor masonry kitchens, metal cabinetenclosures, etc., and other combustible and non-combustible surfaces.Likewise, rubber feet (not shown) may be mounted to an underside of thecooking apparatus to allow the cooking apparatus to be placed on abanquet table or other support surface in a portable configuration.

Referring next to FIGS. 5-7, drip pan spillover trays 50 may be locatedbeneath drip pan 28. Drip pan 28 may likewise include holes 52 throughwhich drippings may flow for collection in spillover trays 50. In thedepicted embodiment, drip pan spillover trays 50 are located behindcontrol panel 12, and are supported in drawer-like structures 54. Drippan spillover trays 50 may be accessed for cleaning by pulling thedrawers 54 out, and then removing trays 50 from drawers 54. It will beappreciated that the depicted drip pan spillover tray arrangement ismerely exemplary, and that the drip pan spillover trays may be locatedin any other suitable position and may be removable for cleaning via anyother suitable mechanism.

An exemplary mechanism for the attachment of the drip pan is shown inmore detail in FIG. 5. As shown, cooking surface 24 is disposed on anopen cylinder-shaped skirt 60. Drip pan 28 is secured to this skirt withone or more adjustable draw latches 62. Latches 62 are mounted to aninside wall of the skirt, and allow precise alignment of drip pan 28 tothe surfaces of the structure to which the cooking apparatus is mounted(for example, laminate, granite, marble, etc.).

Temperature detectors, depicted schematically at 64 in FIG. 7, may bemounted to or integrated with cooking surface 24 in one or morelocations to sense the cooking surface temperature. In one embodiment,two detectors are mounted to the underside of the cooking surface suchthat one detector is provided for each heating zone). The signals fromtemperature detectors 64 may be provided to a controller 65 associatedwith control panel 12. The controller may control the display of theheating zone temperatures on a display 66 positioned on control panel12. Display 66 may be any suitable type of display, including but notlimited to, an LCD or OLED display. Any suitable type of temperaturedetectors may be used as temperature detectors 64, including but notlimited to resistive detectors, optical detectors, etc. Likewise, anysuitable number of temperature detectors may be used. For example, eachcooking surface temperature zone may include one temperature sensor, ormay include more than one sensor.

Furthermore, temperature sensors 64 may be configured to providefeedback to allow the controller to control the temperatures of eachheating zone to keep the temperatures within a desired range. In oneembodiment, the temperature sensors and controller may be configured tomaintain accurate temperatures within a maximum range of approximately150-500 degrees Fahrenheit. In alternative embodiments, the controllermay be configured to maintain temperatures outside of this range.

As described above, separate temperature control knobs 20, 22 may beprovided to allow the independent control the temperature of eachcooking surface temperature zone. Control knobs 20, 22 may, for example,have printed on a flat peripheral edge an “off” location, followed bytemperature settings “warm”, “low”, “medium” and “high.” Likewise,control panel 12 may include a legend located above, below or to theside of the knobs identifying the inner and outer heating elementcontrol knobs. Furthermore, a master power switch (not shown) may beprovided to control power to all of the electronics of the system,including each heating element 30, 32, display 66, etc. The master powerswitch may be located on control panel 12, or at any other suitablelocation. Referring to FIG. 8, the underside of control panel 12 andassociated controls may be protected by a louvered venting 80 or othersuitable structure. A portion of venting 80 is shown cut away in FIG. 8to illustrate the positions of knobs 20, 22.

Referring to FIGS. 9 a-9 d, temperature control setting for either orboth of control knobs 20, 22 and heating elements 30, 32 may function asfollows. FIG. 9A depicts display 66 when neither burner is heated.Turning either knob from the “off” position to any temperature settingswitches the corresponding heating element “on.” In response, display 66may be configured to display a “set temperature” message, as shown inFIGS. 9B and 9C. When a temperature setting process begins with a cooksurface at ambient room temperature, the initial element temperaturebegins at a preselected level, for example, 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Anytime a control knob is moved from the “off” position to any one of“warm”, “low”, “medium” or “high” temperature settings, the “settemperature” message is shown on display 66. After a preselected time(for example, five seconds) of knob inactivity, and if the cook surfaceis found with a surface temperature greater than a preselectedtemperature (for example, one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit), thedisplay may display a “Hot Surface” message, as shown in FIG. 9D.

To heat a desired heating zone on cooking surface 24, the correspondingcontrol knob 20, 22 is turned from the “off” position to the “warm”setting. If control knob 20 or 22 is rotated past “warm” to any locationbetween the “warm” and “high” settings, the control panel may beconfigured to show the target temperature related to the selected knobposition, as shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C. This display may be displayed forany desired amount of time before the display reverts to the actualcooking surface temperatures detected by the temperature detectors. Inone specific embodiment, when the knob is paused at a selectedtemperature, the target temperature associated with the selected knoblocation may display the target temperature at steady state for twoseconds, and then flash the temperature 2-5 times before reverting todisplaying the actual cooking zone temperature.

Controller 65 may be configured to increase or decrease the heatingelement temperatures in steps of any suitable size. For example, thetemperature variations may occur in steps of 5-50 degrees Fahrenheit. Inone specific embodiment, the temperature variations occur in steps of 25degrees Fahrenheit.

In the foregoing specification, various features are described withreference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evidentthat various modifications and changes can be made thereto withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thespecification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the various embodiments ofheater elements, cooking surfaces, base constructions, etc. areexemplary in nature, and these specific embodiments are not to beconsidered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations arepossible. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes allnovel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the variousfeatures, functions, and/or properties disclosed herein. The followingclaims particularly point out certain combinations and subcombinationsregarded as novel and nonobvious. These claims may refer to “an” elementor “a first” element or the equivalent thereof. Such claims should beunderstood to include incorporation of one or more such elements,neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Othercombinations and subcombinations of the various features, functions,elements, and/or properties disclosed herein may be claimed throughamendment of the present claims or through presentation of new claims inthis or a related application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower,equal, or different in scope to the original claims, also are regardedas included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.

1. An electrical cooking apparatus, comprising: a substantiallycontinuous cooking surface; a plurality of electrical heating elementsdisposed under the substantially continuous cooking surface; and atleast two temperature controllers configured to allow independentcontrol of temperatures of at least two of the plurality of heatingelements.
 2. The electrical cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein theplurality of cooking elements comprise at least one inner cookingelement and at least one outer cooking element.
 3. The electricalcooking apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inner cooking element and theouter cooking element are each formed from a plurality of cookingelement segments.
 4. The electrical cooking apparatus of claim 3,wherein each inner cooling element segment is separated from an adjacentinner cooking element segment by a separator disposed on an underside ofthe cooking surface.
 5. The electrical cooking apparatus of claim 6,wherein the outer cooking element substantially surrounds the innercooking element.
 6. The electrical cooking apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe cooking surface is crowned.
 7. The electrical cooking apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the cooking surface is substantially flat.
 8. Theelectrical cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooking surface hasa substantially circular perimeter.
 9. The electrical cooking apparatusof claim 1, further comprising a drip tray disposed beneath a perimeterof the cooking surface.
 10. The electrical cooking apparatus of claim 9,further comprising an opening in the drip tray, and a spillover traycoupled to the cooking apparatus at a location beneath the opening inthe drip tray.
 11. The electrical cooking apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe cooking surface rests on a skirt that surrounds the plurality ofheating elements.
 12. An electrical cooking apparatus, comprising: asubstantially continuous cooking surface; an inner electrical heatingelement assembly positioned beneath a centrally disposed region of thecooking surface, the inner heating element assembly comprising at leasttwo inner heating element segments; an outer electrical heating elementassembly disposed beneath a radially outer region of the cookingsurface; the outer heating element assembly comprising at least twoouter heating element segments; an inner element temperature controlconfigured to allow control of the inner electrical heating elementassembly; and an outer element temperature control configured to allowcontrol of the outer electrical heating element assembly.
 13. Theelectrical cooking apparatus of claim 12, wherein the inner heatingelement and outer heating element are arranged concentrically.
 14. Theelectrical cooking apparatus of claim 12, wherein the inner cookingelement segments are connected in series, and wherein the outer cookingelement segments are connected in series.
 15. The electrical cookingapparatus of claim 12, wherein the inner heating element assemblycomprises three inner heating element segments, and wherein the outerheating element assembly comprises three outer heating element segments.16. The electrical cooking apparatus of claim 12, further comprising adrip pan positioned below a perimeter of the cooking surface andextending around an entire perimeter of the cooking apparatus.
 17. In acooking apparatus having a substantially continuous heating surface andat least two independently controllable electrical heating elementsdisposed below the substantially continuous heating surface, a method ofheating the substantially continuous cooking surface, comprising:adjusting a temperature of a first electrical heating element using afirst temperature control; and adjusting a temperature of a secondelectrical heating element using a second heating control.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein adjusting the temperatures of the first andsecond electrical heating elements comprises adjusting the temperaturesof the first and second electrical heating elements to be differenttemperatures.